FREE POP ELECTRONIC CONCEPT moog go-go psych Jess James

$

280

Original and much sought-after 1967 LP by the Free Pop Electronic Concept, “A New Exciting Experience” on the Canadian Ace of Clubs label.  And what a concept it is!  Most assuredly NOT pop, and definitely not free (sorry, I’d give it away if I could afford to), this is certainly an electronic concept, but more accurately it sounds like a bunch of beat popsters who got hold of a synthesizer and trying out everything on it.  Which is kinda how it happened, actually, since the Free Pop Electronic Concept is actually Belgian beat/soul popsters Jess and James combining forces with American jazzman Scott Bradford and fellow Belgian electronics pioneer Arsene Souffriau.  Put Bradford and Souffriau’s wild musical experiments to a few nifty go-go and funky dance floor rhythms courtesy of Jess and James, and how can this miss?  And it doesn’t.  “Chewing Gum Delirium” (great name for a band, by the way) is all bubbling moogs and squiggly synths over a bass-heavy rump-shakin’ funky go-go beat, random electronic sounds percolating with restrained energy, occasionally breaking free and bubbling upward like tiny molten eruptions on the surface of the Sun.  It’s “Come In, Number 51, Your Time Is Up” for the go-go set, Ummagumma with a mini-skirt.  The Pink Floyd comparison is only natural, since they too experimented with synth and keyboard sounds over repetitive, trancelike rhythms – the only difference is that the Free Pop Electronic Concept doesn’t sing and has more swing.  One listen to the chittering outer space chipmunks that fly from speaker to speaker on “Cosmos Rhythms” and you’re instantly reminded of Roger Waters’ “Several Small Species of Furry Animals”.  But this is more of a full band affair, with Nick Mason style tribal drums pounding away like his work on “Saucerful of Secrets”.  But the REAL jaw-dropper here by FAR – the true showcase piece on an incredible album – is the 15-minute interstellar freakout “F.P.E.T. No. 1.”  The first 7-odd minutes sound like the rest of the album on amphetamines – and that’s saying something – the funky go-go beat by now an obligatory foundation.  But THIS time the FPEC gang throw the whole kitchen sink of electronic sounds and FX on top – moogs wail and dive, synths moan – I swear I heard one of them GROWLING – it’s like someone broke onto the set of the original STAR TREK TV series and started playing all the sound effects from the library at once.  At the 8 minute mark, a frantic unhinged FUZZ guitar interrupts our little Starfleet tribunal and starts scraping and diving all over the track at breakneck speed, carving deep blue ripples in the tissues of your mind, while more Romulan microchipmunks giggle and chortle in the background.  There’s also a few odd space chirps here that sound like the noises made by King Ghidorah before he attacked Tokyo.  At 15 solid minutes of unrestrained mayhem, “F.P.E.T. No. 1” is the musical equivalent of a Martin Scorsese film, but unlike “Gangs of New York”, this is never boring, partially because it throws everything it can in your face like the Grand Finale of a 4th of July fireworks show.  And considering there are NO vocals to be found on this album, it’s really quite an accomplishment to hold your attention for so long.  “F.P.E.T.” stands for “Free Pop Electronic Theme”, of course, but it could also easily stand for “Full Psychedelia Every Time.”  Either way, it’s a singular tour de force in the electronic psych genre, an unholy marriage of Pink Floyd space travel, Fifty Foot Hose electronic freakouts and the rump-shakin’, hip-swingin’ funky beats of the go-go scene.  And THAT, my friends, is quite a concept.  Original 1967 Canadian pressing on the Ace of Clubs label.  Cover’s in VG++ shape with some minor ringwear on the front and back.  Vinyl plays VG+ with some crackle, mostly on the beginning of each side, some scattered pops but once the music kicks in, you’ll hardly notice it. 

Winning bidder pays $4.50 for media mail shipping plus tracking in the US, $8 air mail to Canada, $14 everywhere else.  Paypal, Bidpay, checks and money orders accepted.  And please be sure to check out my other auctions for more vinyl obscurities, and I will combine shipping costs on multiple wins.